BEIJING - China's energy consumption last year grew at its slowest pace since 1998 and its carbon dioxide emissions also posted a first negative growth in 17 years, according to an industry report released on Thursday.

Chinese energy consumption only grew 1.5 percent in 2015 year on year, the lowest growth in 17 years, while remaining the world's largest growth market for the 15th consecutive year, showed BP Statistical Review of World Energy, the global energy giant's annual report.

The world's largest energy consumer, producer and net importer saw its carbon dioxide emissions falling by 0.1 percent in 2015 year on year, with coal consumption dropping to 64 percent of primary energy consumption. China surpassed Germany and the United States to become the world's largest solar energy producer.

Meanwhile, China's coal output fell 2 percent year on year, while natural gas and oil output rose by 4.8 percent and 1.5 percent year on year.

Renewable energy has been growing fast in China. It grew 20.9 percent year on year in 2015, amounting to about 17 percent of the global total. Solar energy grew fastest, followed by nuclear energy and wind power, the report showed.